1 Corinthians 4
4
Christ’s Servant, God’s Steward
1 Thus let a person consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2In this case, moreover, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful. 3But to me it is a very little matter that I be judged by you or by a human court,#Literally “day” but I do not even judge myself. 4For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but not by this am I vindicated. But the one who judges me is the Lord. 5Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.
The Apostles’ Humility
6Now I have applied these things, brothers, to myself and Apollos for your sake, in order that in us you may learn not to go beyond what is written, lest someone be inflated with pride on behalf of one person against the other. 7For who concedes you superiority? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if indeed you received it, why do you boast as if you#*Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“receive”) which is understood as conditional did not receive it? 8Already you are satiated! Already you are rich! Apart from us you reign as kings! And would that indeed you reigned as kings, in order that we also might reign as kings with you! 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as condemned to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to people. 10We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored! 11Until the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty and poorly clothed and roughly treated and homeless, 12and we toil, working with our own hands. When we are#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“reviled”) which is understood as temporal reviled, we bless; when we are#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“persecuted”) which is understood as temporal persecuted, we endure; 13when we are#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“slandered”) which is understood as temporal slandered, we encourage. We have become like the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things, until now.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Believers
14I am not writing these things to shame you, but admonishing you as my dear children. 15For if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel. 16Therefore I exhort you, become imitators of me. 17Because of this, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my dear and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18But some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power. 20For the kingdom of God is not with talk, but with power. 21What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
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1 Corinthians 4
4
Servants of Christ
1So then, let us [who minister] be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards (trustees, administrators) of the mysteries of God [that He chooses to reveal]. 2In this case, moreover, it is required [as essential and demanded] of stewards that one be found faithful and trustworthy. 3But [as for me personally] it matters very little to me that I may be judged by you or any human court [on this point]; in fact, I do not even judge myself. 4I am aware of nothing against myself and I feel blameless, but I am not by this acquitted [before God]. It is the Lord who judges me. 5So do not go on passing judgment before the appointed time, but wait until the Lord comes, for He will both bring to light the [secret] things that are hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
6Now I have applied these things [that is, the analogies about factions] to myself and Apollos for your benefit, believers, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written [in Scripture], so that none of you will become arrogant and boast in favor of one [minister or teacher] against the other. 7For who regards you as superior or what sets you apart as special? What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if in fact you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]?
8[You behave as if] you are already filled [with spiritual wisdom and in need of nothing more]. Already you have become rich [in spiritual gifts]! You [in your conceit] have ascended your thrones and become kings without us; and how I wish [that it were true and] that you did reign as kings, so that we might reign with you. 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles at the end of the line, like men sentenced to death [and paraded as prisoners in a procession], because we have become a spectacle to the world [a show in the world’s amphitheater], both to angels and to men. 10We are [regarded as] fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are highly esteemed, but we are dishonored. 11To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are continually poorly dressed, and we are roughly treated, and wander homeless. 12We work [for our living], working hard with our own hands. When we are reviled and verbally abused, we bless. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure. 13When we are slandered, we try to be conciliatory and answer softly. We have become like the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
14I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children. 15For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]. 16So I urge you, be imitators of me [just as a child imitates his father]. 17For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my way of life in Christ [my conduct and my precepts for godly living], just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some of you have become arrogant and pretentious, as though I were not coming to see you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not just the talk of these arrogant people, but [evaluate] their [spiritual] power [whether they live up to their own claims]. 20For the kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power. 21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod [of discipline and correction], or with love and a gentle spirit?
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